authentic voice

Story·Colin Johnson, age 13 — A young surfer struggles with aggressive locals at Trestles surf break, learns the unspoken rules of lineup hierarchy, and finally earns respect by catching a twelve-foot wave.

Story·Anna Elizabeth Blech, age 11 — A girl races to school in panic after oversleeping, only to discover at the locked doors that it's Saturday.

Story·Sage Behr, age 12 — An elderly woman in the 1850s recalls how witnessing a slave auction led her to become a conductor on the Underground Railroad, risking everything to help families escape.

Story·Dressler Parsons, age 11 — A lonely girl rescues a kitten from a rattlesnake in the Arizona desert, and the small act of caring brings her disconnected family together for the first time in years.

Story·William Gwaltney, age 12 — On Christmas Eve, a boy helps his father and veterinarian deliver a calf too large to be born naturally, saving its life through emergency surgery in a blizzard.

Story·Lyla Lawless, age 13 — A twelve-year-old girl devastated by moving from Rockville to Springfield finds hope in a letter left by the previous occupant of her new room.

Story·Caroline Thomas, age 12 — A Blue Heeler named Patches patrols her Texas ranch, herding horses, chasing cars, and protecting her territory until pride lands her in the pool.

Story·Eddie Mansius, age 11 — A boy escapes to his backyard creek where trees arch overhead and sunlight dances through leaves, finding solace in nature's protective embrace.

Story·Samantha Lai, age 10 — A slave girl named Min-Li discovers she is a Guardian of the Phoenix when a magical bird rescues her and reveals her destiny to heal villages.

Story·Emma Delaney, age 13 — On the last day of eighth grade, seven best friends release a balloon with a wish to stay friends forever, as they face separation for high school.